C101 HITMAN ROCK REPORT

Just days after Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke insisted  that he and Paul Rodgers would be playing two songs at the upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Rodgers has said  he's not going to be there .

The lineup for 2026's Download Festival  has been announced . There's a retro vibe to many of the acts, though current rock is also well represented. 

The Thunder from Down Under rolls on!  AC/DC has announced  their tour plans for 2026. Their "Power Up" tour will now extend into next fall, with a number of North American dates added.

Foo Fighters  frontman  Dave Grohl  have given  Korn  a rather fashionable shoutout online and it was met with excited joy by multiple members of Korn.

So what was the big announcement former KISS drummer Peter Criss was  teasing last week ? It was revealed Friday that he was  releasing a new solo album . Simply titled "Peter Criss," the album is due out next month.

To mark the 25th anniversary of their "Awake" album,  Godsmack has announced  the collection will be reissued with plenty of bonus material. The expanded edition of their sophomore album will be available on a dual LP smoky green color vinyl and on CD.

Alice Cooper and illusionist Criss Angel are teaming up for a very special limited Las Vegas engagement.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is keeping details on the performances for the upcoming 2025 induction ceremony under wraps, but some details have gotten out. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced  yet another wave of big names  who will serve as performers and presenters for the upcoming 2025 Hall induction ceremony. Per usual, they're not saying who does what, but the new names include both musicians and non-musicians.

Fans of Faith No More, prepare to be disappointed. While it should come as no surprise, with drummer Mike Bordin saying in an April interview that frontman Mike Patton was “unwilling” to do anymore FNM shows, keyboardist and founding member Roddy Bottum is also not willing to reunite with the band. 

A Perfect Circle  announced a 2026 European tour that will serve as the band's first headlining trek since 2018.

Chappell Roan and The Killers have been added to the lineup for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  The show goes down November 8th.

Last night (Oct. 25),  Linkin Park  kicked off the South American leg of their ongoing world tour (in support of 2024’s  From Zero ) at Vive Claro in Bogotá, Colombia. They’ll be joined by  Poppy  for the entire run, and concertgoers were treated to a special surprise when Poppy joined Linkin Park to perform one of the band’s biggest songs: “One Step Closer.”

Bad Omens  will embark on a North American arena tour next spring with support from  Beartooth  and  President .

The first single "My Only Angel" came out last month, but the band decided to take another swing at it, adding a long-time friend to the mix. Reaching out to comedian (and banjo legend) Steve Martin, the band felt he had something to add to the track. 

Slash doesn't think the Las Vegas Sphere is rock 'n' roll friendly because of the focus on projected visuals.  He says Joe Walsh, who's played there with the Eagles, agrees.

Head bangers, get ready.  Iron Maiden has announced  they're bringing their "Run For Your Lives Tour" to North America in 2026, and they won't be alone. Megadeth will be on all shows, and Anthrax will open the bigger shows.

Ace Frehley was laid to rest on Wednesday in New York City.  The small, private ceremony was attended by the other three original members of KISS:  Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss.

40 years on, Axl Rose is still gonna be Axl Rose. The fiery Guns n' Roses frontman showed that he can still engage in some attitude on stage at the band's recent concert in Buenos Aires.

More names have been added  to the growing list of performers and presenters for the upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. 

UPDATE 10/21/25: Two more men have been arrested in connection with the death of Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins.

Judas Priest just engaged in a significant bit of philanthropy. The legendary band  wrote a check for $100-thousand to the Los Angeles Fire Department before their show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Slipknot  have filed a lawsuit against an alleged cybersquatter who's been using the URL slipknot.com to advertise counterfeit merchandise for nearly a quarter-century,  Billboard  reports.

Perhaps they read the Rush subreddit, where fans were complaining about the limited number of shows and tickets available for the band's "50 Something" tour.  Yesterday, Rush announced  the addition of 17 more shows to their 2026 reunion tour, the second time they've added dates to the upcoming trek. 

We've heard from Neal Schon. We've heard from Jonathan Cain's reps . Now let's hear from Cain himself on the conflicting, confusing stories about his status in Journey.